Flow format documents and fixed format documents are widely used and have different purposes. Flow format documents organize a document using complex logical formatting objects such as sections, paragraphs, columns, and tables. As a result, flow format documents offer flexibility and easy modification making them suitable for tasks involving documents that are frequently updated or subject to significant editing. In contrast, fixed format documents organize a document using basic physical layout elements such as text runs, paths, and images to preserve the appearance of the original. Fixed format documents offer consistent and precise format layout making them suitable for tasks involving documents that are not frequently or extensively changed or where uniformity is desired. Examples of such tasks include document archival, high-quality reproduction, and source files for commercial publishing and printing. Fixed format documents are often created from flow format source documents. Fixed format documents also include digital reproductions (e.g., scans and photos) of physical (i.e., paper) documents.
In situations where editing of a fixed format document is desired but the flow format source document is not available, the fixed format document may be converted into a flow format document. Conversion involves parsing the fixed format document and transforming the basic physical layout elements from the fixed format document into the more complex logical elements used in a flow format document.
Footnotes are a common element in everyday documents. Oftentimes, footnotes are used to add additional explanations about certain content. Accordingly, footnotes may be linked with certain text from regular document text flow. Most often, fixed format documents do not contain information about document layout elements such as footnotes. That is, in a fixed format document, footnotes may be represented as normal text and may not include an indication that characters or text-runs within the footnote(s) are in fact part of the footnote(s). Currently, when converting a fixed format document with one or more footnotes to a flow format document, the footnotes may be reconstructed as part of the regular text flow. If the fixed format document includes a reference note mark (i.e., a mark in the normal text flow that links a footnote with text, usually a superscript located at the end of a word), the footnote may not be linked to the reference note mark. Additionally, after conversion to a flow format document, footnote positioning may oftentimes be incorrect. For example, when a document is converted from a fixed format document to a flow format document or when a flow format document is edited, the text may oftentimes reflow. When a footnote is part of the regular text flow, the text in the footnote may reflow with the text instead of being statically positioned at the end of a page. Moreover, if the document includes a reference note mark, the reference note mark and the footnote may not be located on the same page.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.